The Cure for Madness
Quest Giver	Astrid
Location	Dawnstar Sanctuary
Prerequisite	Breaching Security
Next Quest	Recipe For Disaster
Reward	Shadowmere
Faction	Dark Brotherhoood

WalkthroughEdit

Starting the questEdit

Speak to Astrid and find Cicero's Journal to get the password for the Dawnstar Sanctuary.

Sanctuary in ShamblesEdit

When the Dragonborn arrives in the Sanctuary, they will be met by Gabriella. She redirects the Dragonborn to speak with Astrid immediately. Astrid states that Cicero went crazy and attempted to kill everyone before fleeing. She instructs searching Cicero’s room for clues. On an end table next to his bed is The final volume of Cicero's Journal. All the previous volumes can be found on nearby elevated surfaces. When reading the final volume, it will provide details of the password and location for an older and unused Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary near Dawnstar. After letting Astrid know of the findings she will instruct the Dragonborn to kill Cicero. She provides the horse, Shadowmere, as a means of getting to him. As Shadowmere is unique in appearance, choosing to obtain him is not essential to complete the quest.

Track CiceroEdit

Travel to Dawnstar and talk to Arnbjorn who is sitting injured on the ground just outside of the Dawnstar Sanctuary. He informs of his injuries were from a fight with Cicero, but that he injured Cicero equally as seriously and they should just "follow the blood" to find him. After suggesting that he return to the home Sanctuary, enter Dawnstar Sanctuary and follow the linear path (fighting the guardians and a troll, whilst avoiding traps) to Cicero.

Confronting CiceroEdit

Navigating through to the end of the sanctuary will eventually lead to finding Cicero lying on the ground faking injury. He asks that his life be spared and lie to Astrid about killing him. Should the player decide to let him live, there is no effect on the outcome of the quest nor the attitudes of the other Brotherhood members toward the player. (It should be noted that if Cicero is spared in this quest he will become an available follower for the Dragonborn.) If he is killed, his body can be looted for his outfit (the jester outfit on the table at the entrance is less powerful), some gold and a leveled dagger. If he is attacked, he will get up and fight back, revealing that he isn't actually injured.

Completing the QuestEdit

Return to Astrid and inform (or lie to) her about Cicero's death. She will then thank the Dragonborn and suggest they hold on to Shadowmere "a while longer," in addition to starting the next quest, Recipe for Disaster.

NotesEdit

• The Legend of Red Eagle (Book) may be found after descending the first staircase in the sanctuary. Just before the hallway out of the L-shaped room there is a bookshelf next to a chair and table to the right. The book is found on the lower section of the bookshelf. This will start the The Legend of Red Eagle (Quest)
• It is possible to both get Cicero's armor and let him live, but you will need the Perfect Touch and Poisoned perks of the Pickpocket skill, as well as any form of paralyzing poison. To get his armor, simple become hidden, pickpocket Cicero and give him the poison. He will become paralyzed shortly, allowing his impossible to nab armor to be grabbed without fail. Alternatively a Staff of Paralysis or the spell Paralyze can be used.
• If the Ghost of Lucien Lachance is active while exploring the Dawnstar Sanctuary, Lucien will tell the player that it is not wise to kill Cicero, because Keeper is a sacred position in the Dark Brotherhood. He says that "The Dread father does not wish this!"
• There are two skill books located on a table if the left path is taken down the stairs after the spear trap. The books increase one handed and archery.
• The Jesters Outfit can be picked up just as the Dawnstar Sanctuary is entered. The player will find a full set on a table just to the left of the entrance. A better version can be looted from Cicero, IF he is killed.
• For those who dislike the chore of leveling the Sneak skill, this is the perfect opportunity to crunch out some Skill levels. Although time consuming, this quest has perfect opportunities to level this skill. Enter the sanctuary, grab the Jester Outfit which will help with sneak. Equip the outfit and find Cicero but Do not kill him. After speaking to him, go into the corner directly behind him and crouch into the sneak position. Once the Sneak eye says hidden, face the corner and slowly walk (or if the "Silence perk" is unlocked, walk at a regular speed). This method is quite time consuming, but it works. (Hint: Use a rubber-band, do something else for a while, and on return the sneak skill will be leveled up. Make sure to check every so often to be sure the player is hidden.)
• Cicero's 500 gold may be taken twice. This can be done by pickpocketing him before attacking. [If the Dragonborn is caught pickpocketing Cicero's gold, Cicero will attack and talk about his ploy to trick the Dragonborn and reveal he's not really injured. But- if the Dragonborn sheathes his/her weapons, Cicero will accept the surrender and go back to his fetal position.
• If Cicero is spared (just lie to Astrid when you return to the Falkreath Sanctuary and tell her you killed him) and complete the quest "Hail Sithis!", he will have the option to be a Follower. Inside the Dawnstar sanctuary, Nazir will state that he knew you wouldn't kill him. Nevertheless, Cicero is back.
• If the player decides to kill Cicero, one can unbar the door across from the door leading to the room Cicero is hiding in and back up onto the steps in the first room. Sneak and shoot Cicero with a bow from a distance. He will get up and immediately lay back down. Continue to shoot Cicero until he is dead.

BugsEdit

•  360   PS3   Although the guardians can't be looted after they are killed, the player can pickpocket them for Shrouded Armor pieces and weapons/arrows, if the Misdirection and Perfect Touch perks are unlocked. If done fast enough the weapons they drop when killed can be picked up.
•  PS3   The player may get stuck in an infinite loop where Astrid says "You need to hear this!" and then never says anything else. To fix, simply "wait" in position for an hour. This seems to get her back on track.
• If Cicero is killed, loot his armor set, raise him (Conjuration) and then bring him through a new loading screen his armor will re-spawn on his body.
•  360   If the last guardian is killed and looted, the game may freeze.
•  360   Sometimes after retrieving Cicero's journal, when reporting back to Astrid it will state, "This person is busy." Simply reload the game from entering the Sanctuary, talk to Astrid, grab the journal, and report back to her - this time it should work.
• The door in the south-east corner of the room just before the snow covered caves can be opened. Simply jump over the door bar and the player will be just outside Cicero's room.
•  PC   360   PS3  Sometimes after returning to Astrid once Cicero has been killed, she will say her first line of dialogue and will be unable to be interacted with. Instead when she is talked to, she will repeat the same line of dialogue again.
•  PS3   360   Occasionally when attempting to leave the Sanctuary after killing Cicero, the door will not respond to Use (Or be replaced by a wet stone wall) and you can't leave. Simply restarting the console will fix this.
• When arriving at the Dawnstar sanctuary, the player may not be able to talk to Arnbjorn straight away, if  attacked and killed he might start dialogue.
•  PC   Sometimes Shadowmere does not spawn outside in the pool of water. If Shadowmere doesn't spawn, stand by the pool and open your console. Input "prid 0009CCD8" and "moveto player". This will then spawn Shadowmere in the pool.
•  360   Cicero may not attack in occasions when attempting to kill him.
• Time may permanently slow down when fighting the Sanctuary Guardians in the Dawnstar Sanctuary if Quick Reflexes is unlocked and it comes into effect while fighting them. Time will still be slowed down after the effects of the perk should have worn off. This can be solved by opening the skills or map menu, exiting and re-entering the sanctuary, or saving then loading that saved game.